Christian ministries have long engaged the diasporic Chinese population, initially viewing them as an audience of Christian outreach, then envisioning them as a conduit for bringing the gospel to their families and compatriots. However, in recent years, a shift in thinking has begun among Christian leaders that anticipates the diasporic Chinese becoming a significant source for cross-cultural Christian work, reaching beyond their co-ethnics. Along with this hopeful thinking, there is also the desire to see further intergenerational collaboration, especially with the bicultural offspring of first-generation immigrants from Chinese-speaking regions. These two concurrent thoughts are imparting fresh ways for Chinese Christians to reimagine their identity and purpose within God’s mission. This forward thinking is deserving of attention as well as critical reflection for moments when theory meets reality.
In this article, I will offer reasons why this two-pronged missiological thinking is worthy of attention, while highlighting some key considerations for critical reflection before this strategic thinking is turned into praxis. These points are based on my response paper presented at the Chinese Diaspora Network Consultation (CDNC 2025) in Toronto, and the ideas have been further refined after constructive discussions with fellow participants at the consultation. In the following sections, I will first discuss why promoting cross-cultural Christian ministry among the Chinese diaspora is significant for reconceptualizing Chinese Christians’ identity and purpose in God’s mission. Then, I will draw attention to issues for critical reflection in intergenerational collaboration. Finally, I will bring these two aspects together and offer some practical suggestions for turning this two-pronged missiological thinking into practice.
Cross-Cultural Ministry as a Catalyst for Reframing the Identity and Purpose of the Chinese Diaspora
The first part of the two-pronged thinking—situating the Chinese diaspora as a source of cross-cultural ministry—is, in one sense, an advancement in missiological thinking. This is influenced by Chinese American missiologist Enoch Wan’s Diaspora Missiology, which introduces a progression in Christian outreach from first to the diaspora, followed by through the Christian diaspora to their families and compatriots, then by the diaspora to beyond their ethnic group, and, finally, with the diaspora in Christian organizations engaging in cross-cultural work around the world.1 While Wan’s model is not limited to the Chinese diaspora, his influence among Chinese Christians has given this model prominence among the diasporic Chinese for framing a progression of Christian ministry.
In Wan’s model, the first two movements of to the diaspora and through the diaspora are focused more narrowly on Christian outreach toward a single ethnic group. And most Christian ministries that involve the Chinese diaspora have primarily corresponded to these two movements, focusing on the Chinese diaspora as recipients of Christian ministry and conduits of Christianity to their families and compatriots. This is because the Christian population among the Chinese is in the minority, both in the homeland and abroad. Therefore, Christian ministries tend to operate with the assumption that gospel work among the Chinese—in diaspora and the homeland—seeks to focus on ministering to the Chinese. Even when diasporic Chinese Christians are involved in these outreach ministries, they also tend to focus on other Chinese people as their audience. Hence, the latest emphasis on positioning the Chinese diaspora as a source of cross-cultural ministry takes a step forward toward the third movement of Wan’s model and draws attention to Christian outreach by the Chinese diaspora to beyond ethnic Chinese.
This advancement is significant in that it signals a shift in how diasporic Chinese Christians can reimagine their identity and purpose in God’s mission. It brings Chinese Christians into greater awareness of God’s mission beyond the Chinese and to the whole world. It challenges Chinese Christians to move away from mono-ethnic thinking to purposeful cross-cultural engagement. It also calls Chinese Christians to envision themselves with roles in global collaboration with other Christian workers. Thus, this reimagination is not simply a progression along a missiological model; it also opens up a new vista for diasporic Chinese Christians to turn outward and situate themselves as active agents in global Christianity. This new perspective calls diasporic Chinese Christians to consider how their migration journeys are used for God’s mission, not only to the Chinese but to the world.
Understanding Intergenerational Dynamics Before Seeking Intergenerational Collaboration
Alongside an outward-looking vision for diasporic Chinese Christians to engage in cross-cultural ministries is a forward-looking desire to involve the bicultural offspring of the immigrants in these ministries. The reasoning behind this hope for collaboration is twofold. First, there is an assumption that bicultural individuals possess better language skills and cultural awareness, making them more adaptable in cross-cultural situations and better suited as cultural bridges. Second, ethnic Chinese churches in the diaspora have been struggling to connect and retain their bicultural offspring in Chinese-heritage churches. Therefore, there is a hope that ministry engagement with the bicultural offspring may give them a sense of purpose in both the church and God’s mission.
While these two reasons for promoting intergenerational collaboration could appear sensible, I would like to emphasize that critical reflection is also warranted. The assumption that Chinese immigrants’ children, born and raised in the diaspora, would be better suited for cross-cultural ministry may overlook the enculturation process of so-called second-generation people, that is children of first-generation immigrants, as well as even later generations of Chinese-heritage individuals. One particular phenomenon that the original immigrant generation may not be attuned to is the “perpetual foreigner syndrome,” which has been widely discussed in Asian American studies.2 The “perpetual foreigner syndrome” addresses the alienation experienced by Asian-heritage individuals because of their phenotype (for example skin tone, hair type, facial features), even if they were born and raised in what they would consider their “homeland” (for example the US). While this phrase is most widely used in Asian American studies, it describes a phenomenon experienced in other contexts where government policies, cultural norms, and public rhetoric have reinforced race/ethnic-based discrimination. For bicultural individuals in such contexts, identity negotiation can be a painful process, sometimes resulting in fragmentation rather than healthy integration. While God’s grace provides ample room for reconciliation and restoration for communities and individual wholeness, the ability of bicultural Chinese-heritage Christians to serve as cultural bridges for ministry beyond the ethnic-Chinese should not be taken for granted.
In addition to the identity conflicts experienced by the bicultural offspring of Chinese in the diaspora, adverse intergenerational dynamics among ethnic-Chinese communities can also introduce obstacles for collaboration. Here I will introduce a new term— “perpetual child syndrome”—to describe a feature commonly seen in ethnic-Chinese churches worldwide. It appears when the Chinese cultural template, one that has honored elders for centuries, creates a generational hierarchy in which the first-generation immigrants occupy the center of power in these communities. In these situations, the second generation, not to mention subsequent generations, tends to remain in a “child” status.
Even when the second generation grows to adulthood, they continue to function as the “child” in terms of decision-making power. There is no urgency to consider a transition of power to the second generation because Chinese emigration trends have been steady and diasporic Chinese Christian communities are replenished with new waves of Chinese-speaking immigrants. In this way, the “child” status of the second generation is not so much a function of generations according to one’s family but is defined by a power structure that tends to privilege those who operate according to Chinese cultural values and language abilities. For the second generation who wishes to serve in this cultural framework, their unfamiliarity with Chinese culture or language puts them in the category of a “child” regardless of their age or ability. This is what I mean by “perpetual child syndrome.” While there is recognition that the biculturalism of the second generation may be an asset for cross-cultural ministry, it is still too early to know if intergenerational collaboration will generate healthy mutual understanding across generations and lead to equal partnership in ministry.
Suggestions for Putting Outward-and-Forward Thinking into Practice
Although I have offered points mentioned above for critical reflection, I would still advocate for the two-pronged thinking for diasporic Chinese Christians to look outward beyond ministry to ethnic Chinese and look forward in seeking intergenerational collaboration. Toward this goal, I offer three suggestions below for putting theory into practice.
1. Promote intergenerational listening and communication
Before seeking intergenerational collaboration for cross-cultural ministry, diasporic Chinese Christian communities will need to promote intergenerational listening and communication to learn from one another’s perspectives and experiences. These conversations ought to begin with a posture of humility and openness, allowing for an outcome that can restructure the existing power dynamics. While modern Chinese culture has prioritized pragmatism and a results-oriented mindset, and these values have served diasporic communities well, it will be helpful to temporarily suspend these very values in intergenerational conversations so that truly constructive communication is not short-circuited.
2. Model and empower cross-cultural ministries
As mentioned earlier, diasporic Chinese Christians in ministry have tended to focus on other Chinese. Even when there is a vision for cross-cultural ministry, a fear of competition with outreach to the Chinese introduces tension in ministry priorities. Therefore, in Chinese Christian communities, a greater emphasis on modeling and empowering cross-cultural ministries is necessary to counterbalance the existing patterns. This is not solely the responsibility of the bicultural second generation, but it could be the calling of some first-generation Chinese immigrants. In fact, given the generational hierarchy in Chinese culture, the first generation’s modeling and empowering of this focus will be particularly meaningful in advancing a vision for cross-cultural ministry.
3. Bridge cultures and reorient ethnic identities
Finally, Chinese Christians in diaspora, whether they are first-generation immigrants or subsequent generations of Chinese-heritage individuals, all have varied experiences of negotiating culture and identity. Instead of viewing such experiences negatively, it would be more purposeful to see them as preparation for bridging cultures in cross-cultural ministries. In some cases, it could mean that diasporic Chinese Christian communities hold their ethnic identity loosely and become more open to learning from other cultures. In some other cases, it could mean that they lean into their marginalized and minoritized experiences and foster more sympathy toward other marginalized and minoritized groups as part of their Christian witness.
In conclusion, the two-pronged thinking for the Chinese diaspora to engage in cross-cultural ministry is a promising perspective that can propel them toward increasing participation in God’s mission. This model calls them to look beyond existing ministry or cultural patterns and allows the gospel to reorient their priorities. It has the potential to rejuvenate stagnant ministry habits and revitalize diasporic Chinese Christian communities. While much needs to be changed in the way ministry is conceived and conducted among the Chinese diaspora, I saw much hope when I participated and witnessed earlier stages of this two-pronged approach in the way my Chinese-heritage church in the Chicago area ministered to Afghan refugees by involving the church youth and young adults. Though this form of outreach remains a rare occurrence among the diasporic Chinese churches, perhaps the time is ripe for the Holy Spirit to breathe new life in the way diasporic Chinese Christians are involved in the mission of God.
